Comes a Time
by Kedda
Summary: Non random moments in Derek and Addisons lives. It's complicated to explain in 255 characters. Full description at the top of the chapter. Clearly ADDEK.
1. Sunday

So I was sitting around right. And I thought to myself, how can I make writing a fic as hard as possible?

So, I came up with this.

Basically, what is happening is, each chapter is a day of the week. So the first chapter is Sunday, and it's the most significant moment in Derek and Addison's lives that happened on a Sunday. They are moments that change the way that their lives went. They aren't always the same moment, and they aren't always happy moments, they don't even always have to do with each other, but they are moments none-the-less.

**Sunday**

_**Derek**_

"You are such a _guy_," Kathleen sighed, using her foot to kick a pillow off the couch and on to the floor where she was laying.

"A stupid guy," Nancy agreed.

"I'm not stupid," Derek glared at his sisters.

"But you are _such_ a guy," Kathleen reiterated on her earlier point.

"Hey. Leggy," Mark pushed Kathleen's legs out of the way and sat down on the couch, batting her foot out of the way when she tried to kick his arm, "What are we talking about."

The Shepherd siblings remained silent, although Nancy and Kathleen exchanged some amused looks.

"Oh." Mark sighed, "The girl."

"There is _no_ girl," Derek stated.

"So you met the girl at Dianne-za-pan's baby ball. Then you stopped talking, started sulking and got moody and unbearable." Mark moved to tickle the bottom of Kathleen's foot, earning him another kick, "But these events are unrelated."

"Yes."

"I'm calling Dianne," Nancy stated decidedly.

"Why?" Derek questioned moodily.

"Because you're in love,"

"I am not."

"You are too," Kathleen teased, "And it's not a good look for you."

"I'm not in love with her," Derek stated again, "She's just a spoiled rich kid who dates frat-boy jocks like him," he jerked his head towards Mark, "Plus she's arrogant and conceited and totally dependent on her daddy to push her through school when the rest of us have to use our heads and actually apply ourselves to get good marks. She talks to much, she thinks she's funny but she's not. She's..."

"Dianne?" All heads jerked towards Nancy. She grinned at them and cradled the phone against her shoulder, "What can you tell us about that girl that Derek's in love with?"

Derek dropped his head back to stare at the ceiling.

"Yeah, Addison," Nancy confirmed, "Oh, he's here. He's blushing."

"I am not," Derek called out, "I don't even like her."

Mark and Kathleen watched Nancy with amusement as she doodled on her notebook and listened to her sister's narrative.

"Derek says 'thanks Dianne'," Nancy said as she hung up the phone.

"No, I don't Dianne!" Derek exclaimed still staring at the ceiling.

So," Mark encouraged.

"Well," Nancy began, "She's not seeing anyone. She's really smart. She just finished her first year of med-school with Dianne, but she _three_ years _younger_ then Derek."

Derek's head jerked up, "What?" he demanded. He was starting med-school in the fall.

"She graduated high school when she was 16, and did her under grad in 3 years," she grinned at her brother, "Not 5 like some people."

"I changed my focus," Derek muttered, resuming his staring contest with the ceiling.

Marked grinned at him, "She can help you with your homework."

"That's the good news," Nancy continued, "The bad news is she doesn't really date. Not frat-boy jocks like Mark, and especially not ugly mugs like you. _And_ ... she's loaded_," _Nancy smirked, "She has a studio apartment that is _literally_ 2 blocks west from the medical arts building, Where all those galleries and cute little shops are."

"Oh," Kathleen sat up and looked at her sister, "They have that little shop with the pastries."

Nancy nodded, "By the boutique where Dianne got her wedding dress." Seeing the confused looks on the boys faces she continued, "You know, the neighborhood where rent is 10 times higher then that rat and roach motel that you habitate in? She has a doorman. Not a broken intercom," She smiled smugly at her brother, "So really, you don't stand a chance."

"Thanks Nancy," Derek replied dryly, standing and heading for the door leading out of the den, "But I'm not interested."

"Hey wait," Nancy called out, "Addison thinks you are jerk. But Dianne gave me her number anyway..."

Derek didn't return.

XXXX

This was ridiculous.

This was stalking.

But it was fate, Derek felt, that Nancy had told him exactly were Addison lived. So he was sitting on a bench 2 blocks west of the medical arts building.

And he had no idea what he was going to do next.

Then he saw her.

Walking directly towards him.

He stared at her a moment. She was dressed super-casual. Jeans, a white t-shirt, plain canvas sneakers, sunglasses and a purse so ugly Derek felt it must cost more then he had ever seen in his life.

She looked perfect.

But he still had no idea what he was going to do next.

"Um, Addison," he stepped in front of her.

She stopped suddenly and stared at him, "Derek?" she took her sunglasses of and tilted her head.

"Hi," he said awkwardly.

"Hi..."

"I..." he began.

She crossed her arms over her chest, "What are you doing here?"

"I was just..." he paused and looked around, "...taking a walk."

"Really," she replied smugly, "You didn't know I live here."

"No," he exclaimed a little to quickly.

"Oh," she pursed her lips together and raised an eyebrow.

"The last time we talked, I was kinda drunk..." he trailed off realizing this was not the direction that he wanted to go in, "It went a lot better."

"Did it?"

He shot her a look, "Well you were a lot easier to get along with."

She chuckled, biting down on her bottom lip.

"But," Derek continued, "I mean, we do have a child together..."

Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"A godchild," he clarified, "So maybe..." He paused he wasn't sure where he was going with this.

She waited expectantly.

He sighed.

He didn't know what to say.

Unexpectedly, to him and to her, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, his index finger lightly lifting her chin towards him. She didn't move, and he didn't pull away. Finally her lower lip slackened slightly, relenting. He didn't go any further, he just pulled away slowly.

He kept his eyes closed for a fraction of a second. He wasn't sure if he had actually done that. It might have just been a stroke. His heart was pounding in his chest and he felt a little lightheaded.

She cleared her throat softly and looked away.

"Could you maybe," Derek tongue seemed to fill his suddenly dry mouth, "Maybe, could you not mention to my sister that I stalked you outside your building," he muttered, not daring to look at her.

"Sure," she whispered back.

He nodded, barely registering that her cheeks were flushed and pink.

"And maybe not tell her that I made an ass of myself and kissed you on the sidewalk."

"Okay."

Impulsively, he leaned in and kissed her again. He was starting to forget what it felt like.

This time she kissed him back. Just a little.

"Could you maybe not tell her about that one either."

She pressed her finger tips to her lips and looked away.

"Okay," Derek took a step back and looked around him, "I should go."

She nodded.

"I just wanted to say 'hi'." he cursed his awkwardness.

She smiled at him knowingly, "But you don't even like me."

His jaw dropped.

"Nancy didn't tell you I was at Dianne's when you had her call this afternoon?"

Derek turned beet red. He stared at his feet for a moment, then looked up at her, "You said I was a jerk," he recalled.

"Well, you are," she argued, "You stalked me and sexually harassed me."

"You kissed me back!"

"And I'd do it again!"

A slow smile spread over Derek's face, "Really?"

She shrugged, refusing to look at him, "I don't know. Maybe."

"Okay."

She glanced at him, not sure what he meant by 'okay'.

So he kissed her again. This time he ignored the lightheadedness and the heart pounding. If he was having a stroke, he would gladly have a stroke ever single day for the rest of his life.

XXXXXXXX

_**Addison**_

"Is this absolutely necessary? I hate things like this."

Addison watched her friend, Dianne, pace the floor trying to soothe her fussing baby, "It was your idea to have a baby." she stated matter of factly.

"Someday, you will understand."

Addison smirked, "Someday I will understand why you decided that childbirth was an _excellent _way to celebrate passing gross anatomy?"

"Yes," Dianne stated adamantly, "_You_ will understand that. And you will also understand why I am willing to do it again during 3rd year rotations."

"We are doing this again?" Addison sighed, flexing her foot so her shoe slid off her heel and dangled on her toes.

"I'd do it more if it weren't for these stupid baptisms."

Addison leaned her head back against the wall and lolled it to the side. It was _so_ hot, and she was _so_ bored. She was sweating just sitting still. She shifted ever so slightly in her chair. A bit of bare skin on her back was sticking to the chair.

"How do you do that?"

"What?" Addison stifled a heat induced yawn.

"Sweat and still look good."

"Good genes I guess," Addison explained, twisting her hair up to keep it from sticking to her neck, "My mother trained me to glisten but never sweat. It's harder then you think."

"The only thing that I got from my mother is..."

"_Where are they_?" Dianne's mother demanded, throwing open the door.

"Massive migraines," Dianne concluded.

"I don't know who's idea this was, but when I find them..."

"Mom," Dianne sighed.

"Who kidnaps the baby's father before a baptism?"

"Morons?" Dianne shrugged, "But they promised they would have him back before 2."

"You _knew_."

"Mom. We don't even go to church. Not even at Christmas. _Why_ are we doing this."

Her mother glared.

Addison sighed. She should be outside, there had to be a breeze somewhere in Manhattan.

"Addison."

Addison looked up at Dianne's mother as she calmly took the seat beside her.

"Were you baptized as an infant?"

Dianne shot her a warning look.

"Umm," Addison pursed her lips, she was to hot and uncomfortable to lie, "Yes..."

"And did you attend church?"

"No." She admitted. She ignored the look that she was getting from Dianne, it was her baby that had her stuck in a vacuum sealed church on the hottest day of the summer. She owed her nothing.

Dianne's mother smiled smugly.

"Mom!"

Her mother held up her hand as if that settled it and patted Addison on the knee before standing and leaving the room. At the door she turned and looked at Dianne, "We are starting at 2, not a minute later. Husband or no husband."

Dianne glared evenly at Addison, "I _hate_ that she loves you."

XXXX

"We're heeeeeeeere."

Addison brushed her hair off her forehead, leaned a hand on the wall and watched with interest as 3 men step jovially into the church lobby. She recognized one as being Dianne's husband Thomas, and recognized all three as being drunk.

"You are late!" Dianne exclaimed, it was 1:58, "And you reek of beer. I.Hate. You. All." she smacked each of the 3 men smartly on the arm, "I have been stuck here with _Mom_ for over an hour."

The men stood there looking guilty for a moment. Guilty, but cool and refreshed.

"Well," Dianne put a hand on her hip, "Who won?"

One of the men that Addison didn't recognize cleared his throat, "The Tigers."

Dianne's jaw dropped, "You went to a _Little League_ game?" She exclaimed, "You got _drunk_ at a Little League game on a _Sunday afternoon, before my sons baptism!" _Her eyes narrowed as she approached the confessor, "This was _your_ idea. I _know_ it was. _They_ are not imaginative enough to pull something like this, Mark."

Mark shrugged easily.

"I'm telling Mom."

"She's not my mother."

"Do you think she'll care?"

Mark shifted uneasily.

"_Get_ into that sanctuary," Dianne pointed to the doors. She bit the side of her cheek to keep from laughing as Mark slunk sheepishly into the church.

"O-kay," she handing the baby to Addison, "Let's get this over with."

Addison paused, adjusting the baby in her arms. The lobby was even warmer then the room they had been in earlier, her whole body was moist from the humidity, and her hair was sticking to her back. She could already feel the crook of her arm beginning to bond with the skin on the back of the baby's neck as she cradled him in her arms.

When she looked up, Dianne and Thomas had left leaving her alone with who she could only guess was the godfather. She smiled awkwardly, "I'm Addison."

He nodded, leaning lazily against the door, "From school. Dianne's talked about you, "he paused, "Do you find it kinda warm in here?" He shrugged out of his jacket and folded it under his arm leaving him him a light, breathable short-sleeve button.

"I'm the godmother," she informed him, despite the fact that it was fairly obvious since she was currently holding the baby and he was holding the door open so she could carry it into the church. He looked so comfortable and at ease Addison immediately hated him. She was melting.

He smiled at her. His eyes were warm, probably from the icy cold beer, "I'm the godfather. And uncle."

Addison glanced at him as they walked down the aisle towards the front, "You're Dianne's brother?" she whispered.

He smiled again, "Yeah. I'm Derek."

XXXXXXXXXX

You know the drill. You review, or I hunt you down and kill you. grins


	2. Monday

I don't want to talk about it. By now I am thinking that 97 percent of you know what I am talking about. But I don't want to talk about it. Don't even mention it.

Seriously.

If you even think it, no update for... really long time.

I'll do it.

No I won't.

But I'll get you somehow

... probably using voodoo.

Read.

XXXXXXXXXX

_**DEREK**_

"It is our hope that this new facility will become like a sister hospital to Seattle Grace," Addison concluded, "With doctors from Seattle Grace working side-by-side with the staff of the new Joy Hastings Memorial Woman's Hospital," She smiled at the staff gathered in front of her, "So now for the announcement that I am sure none of you are surprised to hear. As of March 1st I will be stepping down as Chief of Surgery at Seattle Grace, and will be the New Chief of Staff at Joy Memorial. What you _may_ be surprised to hear, is that I am taking people with me. My friend Dr. Miranda Bailey has agreed to be our Chief of Surgery, "she beamed at her friend, "Dr. Jeremy Lyons is joining us to head up Obstetrics, Dr. Bedford Smith and Dr. Cristina Yang in Cardio, Dr. George O'Malley, Dr. Sarah Jekins and Dr Emily Jones, Oncology. _And_ ..."

Derek didn't hear anymore. He had no idea that she was leaving. He knew nothing about this new hospital. He vaguely remembered seeing a sign on his way to work in the morning, it said 'Joy Hastings Memorial'... something.

But he had no idea that she was leaving Seattle Grace.

Addison smiled one last time and concluded her speech. Stepping away from the informal podium she was immediately surrounded by friends and congratulations. He inched closer, intending on adding his congratulations.

"Maybe I should reconsider coming with you," Izzie was saying, "I'm not sure that I can do my job without The Nazi hanging over my shoulder all the time."

Addison gave her arm a friendly squeeze, "But if you had taken me up on my offer, who would keep Sloane and Karev in line?"

Derek moved out off her eye line and reviewed everything she had said.

She was leaving.

And she was taking people with her.

She had asked people to follow her to the new hospital.

But she hadn't asked him.

XXXX

"I thought you might be here." Addison greeted him as she entered her office. Crossing to her desk she picked up a packet of papers before re-crossing the room to sit on the couch beside him.

"You're leaving." Derek stated, watching her place her papers and her coffee cup on the table in front of them.

"I am," she confirmed, leaning back comfortably, slipping off her glasses and her shoes. She had long ago given up on any shows of formality between them.

"I tried to get you to leave and you wouldn't budge, you just stole the job I wanted," he tried to remain as neutral sounding as possible, "And now, as soon as you get that, you're taking off."

"I did it on purpose. I want you to be miserable," she smirked, giving him a cheeky smile to show she was kidding, "This is my dream job. You know that."

Derek nodded, he knew. "I just didn't know you were leaving. I didn't expect it."

Addison considered this a moment, "I really thought that someone would have told you. I'm sorry."

"Who knew?"

"Everyone knew Derek. Off the record, of course. But everyone knew."

"And you are taking everyone with you?" He edged.

"Some. Yes."

Derek formed a triangle with his hands and pressed his fingers to his chin, uncertain of how he should continue.

"I asked Meredith," Addison said finally, "She turned me down."

Derek's eye's jerked to hers, "You talked to Meredith?"

Addison nodded, "She's doing good. She's in Denver," she paused, "She would have made an excellent addition to the neuro team."

"So she seemed... happy?" Derek gratefully grasped at the change in subject, even if it was a painful one.

Addison gave him a sympathetic smile, "She did. She was laughing. A lot. She asked about you."

Derek froze in surprise.

"I said you were miserable and your hair was turning gray."

Derek ran a hand through his hair self-consciously.

"She's with someone," Addison told him gently, "They've been together just over a year. They have a dog named Jose Cuervo."

Derek chuckled, "She would."

"She's happy," Addison continued, "They are thinking about starting a family."

"She didn't want to come back?" Derek asked curiously. For the first time, he felt able to talk about Meredith without shutting down or snapping at someone.

"No,"Addison murmured, "I even mentioned our employee childcare program and our benefits package but... she didn't bite," she smiled softly, "But the same speech got me Yang."

"She would have been good for your neuro team," Derek reflected absently.

"That's why I asked her."

Derek felt his entire body tense and the vein in his forehead throb, "But you didn't ask me."

Addison leaned forward and picked up her coffee, "No."

"You found someone else?"

She took a small sip, "No. I'm still looking."

He couldn't believe how nonchalant she was being. Insulted he stood and strode across the room, "I thought you were over it."

Addison cocked an eyebrow.

"We get along, we can work together."

Addison's mouth twitched.

"Why am I not good enough to work at your precious hospital?" He suddenly felt inexplicably mad. She wanted to laugh at him, "I am the _best_ Addison. The BEST," without warning his fist connected loudly with the top of her desk.

Addison was silent a long moment, "Are you done?" she asked finally.

His eyes still flashed with anger.

"Sit down," she instructed firmly, motioning to the seat beside her.

He meekly obeyed, leaning his elbows on his knees.

"I need someone to replace me as Chief of Surgery. Someone who I can trust and who is...

she paused, seemingly reconsidering her words, "...mature." she picked up the papers and handed them to him., "And I want you."

Derek stared at her dumbfounded.

Addison shook the papers, an amused smile on her face, "Do you want it?"

Derek closed his eyes, "I just made a complete fool out of myself."

"I still think you can handle the job," she smirked, "I might force you to take a mental competency exam first, but..."

Derek turned to her, "Thank you," he said sincerely.

Addison shrugged, "Don't thank me. I'm only doing this because the boards won't let me do both."

"_Thank_ you," he repeated earnestly.

She smiled, "You deserve it."

Derek leaned forward cupped her cheek before lightly kissing her cheek gratefully. His lips hovered a moment near the corner of her mouth before he pulled back to look at her.

Their eyes locked.

"Derek," she said quietly, "There is something else that I have to tell you."

Derek's eyes drifted down to her lips.

"I'm getting married."

XXXX

_**ADDISON**_

"_I am NOT moving to SEATTLE Derek."_

Derek shrugged, "I'm not going back to New York," he replied simply.

"_I have a PRACTICE in New York. A good one. I have a REPUTATION. I have a LIFE!"_

"You can have a practice here," his face was void of emotion, "And you have a reputation..."

"_As an ADULTERESS WHORE!_" she raged, "_Everyone looks at me like I'm trash. I HATE it here Derek. I don't BELONG." _She abruptly turned away from him and stared out the window. It was taking all her self control not to kill him with the cord of the hotel rooms phone, "I love New York."

Derek didn't reply.

Addison listened to him open a beer, "You have a practice in New York," she repeated stubbornly, "An excellent practice."

Derek moved so he stood beside her at the window, "I _had_ a practice. With Mark," he reminded her and moved away again.

Addison felt her chest constrict. She breathed in and out evenly, trying to think clearly, "I'll buy him out," she said suddenly, turning away from the window.

Derek looked at her in surprise.

"I'll buy out Mark's half of the practice," she repeated, "We can reopen it together."

Derek stood and walked the floor a few times considering what she had just said.

She watched him apprehensively for a few moments before sinking into a nearby chair and gnawing on her lower lip.

"No," he said finally.

She sighed.

"No," he repeated firmly, "I'm not going back to New York."

"But Derek..."

"Addison!" he snapped at her, "_Nothing_ you say is going get me back to New York!"

Addison sighed and leaned her elbows heavily against the small round table in front of her, "Then why the hell are we even talking."

"You wanted to give us another chance," he replied evenly.

"You _said _you wanted that too."

"I do. In Seattle."

Addison rolled her eyes, "You just want to be near your _intern_."

Derek didn't flinch, "_You_ just want to be near _Mark_," he shot back.

"Fine," Addison spat sarcastically, "You and your coed can have the West Coast, I'll take the East Coast. We can split the country down the middle as part of the divorce settlement. You get New Mexico, I get Texas. How you want to divide Europe, Derek? North and South? How about I get the countries that start with A to M and you get N to Z? Does that work for you Derek?"

"No!" Derek exclaimed angrily, "That doesn't work for me Addison! Our whole _family_ is on the _East _Coast!"

Addison stared at him dumbfounded for a moment. She crossed her arms on the table and buried her face against them, laughing to herself bitterly, "Oh, this isn't happening."

XXXX

Addison curled her knee's up towards her chest, and dropped her head back against the headboard. Derek had taken her place at the small table across the room and surveyed her with a blank expression.

"I don't like Seattle," she repeated for the fiftieth time.

"You don't even know it," he countered.

"It rains," she stated, staring over his shoulder to where it was indeed raining.

"I like the rain. The fishing is better in the rain."

"There are no good restaurants."

"You just haven't found them yet."

"I have no friends here," she said softly, "I'll be alone."

Derek didn't reply. He didn't seem to be able to come up with answers for her deepest concerns.

"We were so happy in New York."

Derek shook his head and scoffed, "_How_ could we _ever _be happy in New York _ever again _Addison?_"_

"Why can't you just _try_ in New York Derek?"

"Why can't you _try_ in Seattle?"

"_Because you don't want me here!"_

The room sank slowly into stoney silence. Addison stared straight ahead, knowing that if she looked at Derek, she was going to cry.

"I never said I didn't want you here."

"Well you are doing a hell of a job of making me feel welcome," she responded bitterly.

"Well I'm not _happy_ Addison," he cut in angrily, "I'm _not happy_ that you are here. I was doing _fine without you_."

"Well I am _SORRY_. I'm sorry that I showed up and ruined your _life. But I am your wife!"_

"_I KNOW THAT ADDISON!" _he bellowed_ "I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ARE MY WIFE! WHY DO YOU THINK THAT I'M HERE?"_

Addison curled her legs closer to her body and rested her forehead against her crossed arms, "I'm going back to New York," she said quietly, "You don't want me here. So I'll leave."

She watched Derek rub his hands over his face, pressing hard against his eyes, "We can't got back to New York," he repeated through clenched teeth, "Nothing will change. We will stay the same, and we'll hate each other. We don't even stand a chance."

She remained silent, considering his words.

"Maybe we need the change," he shrugged, to Addison it seemed nonchalant, "We'd at least have a chance."

"But Seattle?" Addison sighed_, "_My _life_ is in New York."

"But I'm in Seattle."

"I will be _alone_." She spoke slowly forcing him to consider each word she spoke, "If you leave me again, if this doesn't work out, if we fail, I will be_ alone_. In New York we have people. We have friends. Good friends. Both of us. Here, I am _alone_."

She watched him stare intently at her eyes. She didn't know what he was looking for. She tried to read his face, something she couldn't do as well as she used too. She saw pity. And sympathy. Understanding. Yearning, maybe. She saw sadness. Heartbreak.

But they were suppose to be together. She still believed that. That's the way it was.

"I'm in Seattle now."

Addison's brow furrowed and her lip jutted out as she suppressed the cries she could feel welling in her chest, "Then I guess I'm in Seattle too."

She turned slowly and picked up the phone, dialing a number slowly from memory, "Robert? This is Addison Shepherd." she paused, "Yes, I'm fine," she said weakly, "I need for you to arrange to sell off my practice," she took a shaky breath, "Have all my patients transferred. And..." her face contorted with pain and grief, "Cancel my research grant with NYU, I won't be using it."

She hung up the phone, the sound of the receiver hitting the cradle echoing through the room. She refused to look at him. She laid down with her back to him and curling into the fetal position.

The air in the room was motionless. The silence broken only by Addison's occasional cries.

"Don't touch me."

Derek retracted the hand that he had been about to place on her shoulder.

She continued to face away from him, her shoulders shaking, "Go _away_," she pled angrily, "Just get _away_ from me."

Derek picked up his jacket from the chair by the window. Out of habit he glanced at her as he opened the door to her hotel room.

She was watching him, her eyes overflowing with tears, "I just gave up everything for you."

XXXXXXXX

Well that was cheerful.

I know what you are thinking, And the answer is: It's no one you know, don't worry about it right now.

I found my old voodoo dolls, they are a bit dusty, but I sharpened my push pins and they are good to go. I got some really cute new outfits for some of them. Who wants the red sequined thong for theirs?

Review.


	3. Tuesday

So as you may have noticed. This is not going in any sort of order. Well, they are in order, just not chronological order. So sometimes the events take place in their future, sometimes the past... blah blah blah. It's like A Christmas Carol... but different... and without the ghosts. Although, I _suppose_ we _could_ have ghosts. Now that Denny has helped Meredith get over her suicidal ways maybe he can help Derek and Addison... UGH. That was a special episode... and by special I mean ridiculous.

Read.

XXXXXXXXXX

TUESDAY

XXXXXXXXXX

_ADDISON_

For once, it wasn't raining in Seattle.

And for once she wished it would. If it was raining everyone would go away and leave her alone. And she wanted to be alone. She _said_ she wanted it to be private.

But people came. People that she didn't know. People that didn't care that right now she just wanted to be alone. Logically she knew that people wouldn't listen to her. She knew that there were people that would ignore her requests for solitude.

She hated those people.

But she was glad that Derek had come. He was the only person in Seattle other then Richard that she had known more then 6 years, and he was the only person that she thought might understand.

So she didn't mind that he was silently walking up behind her. She didn't know if he had been there the entire time, or if he had just gotten there. But she didn't mind that he was there because she knew that he wouldn't try to talk to her, and he wouldn't try to make her leave.

"It's easier this way," she mused stoically, "Death, I think, is easier then divorce."

Derek stood silently at her side.

She turned and studied his profile for half a second, just long enough to prove to herself that he hadn't changed that much. They hadn't spoken to each other face-to-face in almost 4 years, since shortly after she announced that she was marrying her second husband. They sent memo's back and forth, and talked on the phone about cases, and traded staff back and forth like they were collectors cards. But they didn't talk face-to-face

Addison tightened her arms around herself, continuing to stare at the new grave. She wasn't crying, but anyone could see she was in pain. Shocked.

"I was there," she said finally, "When he died."

Derek glanced over at her in surprise. From what he had been told, mostly by Richard, she had barely spoken since it happened. Agreeing with whatever people said to her, but not talking about what was going on.

"We were eating dinner," she continued, "Just spaghetti because we were both so late getting home, and I was so tired I just wanted to go to bed," She paused, slowly remembering, "And he was telling me about this trip he wanted to take to celebrate our first anniversary. I don't even know where he wanted to go because I wasn't really," her voice cracked and she swallowed hard, "listening. I was planning out all the things that I had to do the next day. And then he just stopped. I looked up and he was slouched over and there was sauce on his shirt and..."

Derek watched as she pressed her hands to her face. He could see her body trembling and he could hear her inhaling sharply against her hands.

"We were only married for 8 month," she slowly brought her hands away from her face. Other then a few tears gathering in the corners of her eyes, she had on the same brave face, "He wasn't suppose to leave me yet."

X

"You need to eat something."

"I'm not hungry."

"Add," he sighed, "This is not the time to be stubborn."

Addison excepted the sandwich that he held out to her, but she didn't eat it. She continued to stare out at the rain, because as soon as she stepped away from the grave it had started to rain. From time to time she would flex her wrist, stretching her hand out from underneath the protection of the deck's canopy, catching a few raindrops on her fingertips, "I don't know a single person here," she sighed, "Except you and Richard."

"Richard had to leave," Derek said quietly, "We couldn't find you."

Addison nodded.

They sat in silence.

She jumped when Derek cleared his throat, "I noticed that Harry isn't here."

"I haven't talked to Harrison Samuels since we signed the divorce papers," she gave him a small smile, "Besides, I think you fulfill my ex-husband quota for this funeral."

_Husband. _She felt like all the air had been sucked from her lungs. She tried to stop it, but against her will her face crumpled up and she started to cry, really cry, for the first time since her husband, Walter, died.

"Addison..." she heard him say.

Desperately she groped for her purse, searching for something to blot away the tears.

It fell from her grasp, the contents spilling across the deck.

She fell to her knees, ignoring the dampness of the wood and fanatically started grabbing at things as they rolled out of her reach.

"Addison..." she heard him say again.

She shook her head, pushing his hands away as he tried to help her, tears still spilling across her cheeks.

"Addison, come on..."

"No!" She sobbed, jerking away as she felt his arms trying to lift her off the ground.

"Come on," he repeated gently

"Leave me alone," Her words broken and elongated, "Please."

"You know I won't do that," he said quietly, settling on the damp ground beside her.

"Just go away," she pleaded. She was aware that he wasn't going anywhere, but she needed to keep talking or she was going to apart, "It's not fair. It's not _fair!_"

She felt like her body was collapsing into herself. She crumpled. Her chest constricted. Her fists dug painfully against her abdomen and she rocked slowly back and forth.

X

She didn't care.

She didn't care that if someone came out of her house and onto her deck that they would see her huddled on the wet wood talking to her 1st husband, She didn't care that they would probably get the wrong idea.

This was her home. The one that she had shared with Walter, and she hadn't invited any of them into it. And now they had driven her out.

Addison inhaled shakily.

Again she was grateful for Derek's silence.

"I'm so... mad at him," she confessed, "He just... died. No warning. He just left me, all alone. And he promised that he wouldn't. Which..." she ran her hand over her upper lip, her nose tended to run if she had been crying, "... I believed." She smiled, "The day we met he asked me out to dinner, and the first thing I asked was if his office had interns. He said 'no' and I thought it was a sign. And I know it's silly, but when your first marriage falls apart due in-part to a twenty-something bright-eyed intern and your second marriage comes to a grinding halt because it seems your husband has a certain affection for attractive paralegals named Kevin or Kyle..." she laughed bitterly, "Even I can't compete with Kevin's and Kyle's."

He glanced at her sympathetically, but she ignored it. She didn't want sympathy. She wanted someone to listen and not talk or tell her she shouldn't feel betrayed or whatever emotion she decided that she felt.

She sighed, "I thought that things were coming together. I have had 3 husbands in 5 years," she joked, "and I thought I had figured out how this was suppose to work. Walter is...was...Walter was," she paused, "We were close. We talked all the time. All day. Whenever we had a spare moment, we would call the other, just to see what was going on. We made time for each other. He would show up at the hospital at lunch and bring me take-out from some restaurant I loved or wanted to try. And I started scheduling my day so I would have free time if he stopped by." she smiled, "He would get up at 5 am every morning just so we could have breakfast together even though he didn't have to be at the office until 9."

"You were happy."

She nodded, "So happy," She unclenched her fist, revealing for the first time what she had been holding since her purse had spilt, "Guess I won't be needing these." She sighed. It was overwhelming, "Fertility pills," she explained, "I was suppose to start them Sunday. But then..."

"You where trying to have a baby?"

Addison smiled at the surprise in his voice, "Well I'm forty..." she paused, "or forty-one. I was on my third husband. And we were happy. We both wanted it and were ready for it," she shrugged, her eyes filling with tears again, "Maybe I'll get a cat instead."

"Add..." he said sadly. He reached over and wrapped his hand gently around her fingers.

She gripped his hand tightly, "I wanted a baby."

XXXXXX

_DEREK_

"Where are your sisters?"

Derek shrugged and continued to kick the leg of his chair and stare at the floor.

"Derek!" his aunt warned.

A 12 year old Derek continued to kick the chair.

"Derek!" his aunt warned again.

Derek ignored her.

His aunt Eileen sighed, "I'm taking this coffee and sandwich up to your mother. When I come back down I want you kids ready to sit down to lunch, all washed up. Your mom and I have to go back to the funereal home, so Uncle Ben is going to watch you."

She waited for some sort of sign that she had been heard.

"Please cooperate Derek," She said sternly, she was a teacher, and strict one, "This is hard enough on your mother without your surliness. You and Dianne need to help your mom with the little ones."

She didn't get response.

"Please find your sisters and tell them to wash up."

Derek looked up at his aunt as she left the room. He didn't like that she was here. They didn't need her.

Standing he took the plate of sandwiches from the counter and marched to the refrigerator. He balanced the plate on a bottle of apple juice and reached for another of milk. Thinking again he walked back to the other side of the kitchen and stole 2 bags of cookies that some neighbors had brought by and held them between his teeth.

The first door on the left at the top of the stairs used to be his room. Now it was Jenny's nursery and he had a smaller room at the end of hall beside the room that Dianne shared with Nancy and Kathleen.

But his old room had something special.

In the closet there was a small door that led into a crawl space in the attic. When he and Dianne were 3 and their mom was just about to have Nancy, his father had turned part of the crawl space into a fort just for them. Of course as they grew up they let their younger sisters play in it, but it was understood that Dad had built it for Derek and Dianne.

He carefully closed and locked the door to the nursery, then pushed aside the long winter coats that were being stored in the closet. He knelt on the floor and carefully pulled the tiny door open.

All four girls looked up at him with watery eyes.

Dianne immediately started to sob, burying her face against 3 year old Jenny who she was holding in her lap. Jenny squirmed to get away, reaching for her older brother. Derek handed sandwiches to Nancy and Kathleen and rescued Jenny from Dianne.

He carried Jenny over to the change table and methodically started changing her diaper. He had never done this before, but he had seen his mother do it a million times. It looked easier when she did it.

He held his littlest sister a long time before putting her in her crib. Then he gave her a bottle with some apple juice like he had seen his mother do. Even she seemed sad, and didn't fight being put down for a nap.

It slowly occurred to him that in a few years Jenny probably wouldn't even remember their father.

X

Late that afternoon, while Uncle Ben slept in front of a sports game, Derek pulled the mattress of his bed and down the hall and set it up in Jenny's room.

"Derek? What are you doing?"

Derek looked up to see Nancy crawling out of the closet.

Derek shrugged, "I'm going to sleep in Jenny's room tonight. Dad would always get up with her if she started crying in the night."

Nancy contemplated this, her 8 year old frame shifting from side to side, foot to foot.

Derek turned back to his bed, attempting to straighten the covers how his mom liked them.

He didn't notice that Nancy left, but a few moments later she returned with her pillow and her Teddy Bear, Oliver, that their dad got for her at the hospital when she was born, "Can I stay with you too?"

Derek nodded, sitting on the edge of the bed.

Nancy sat down cross-legged on the bed beside him, her socks didn't match and her dress was missing a button. She must have dressed herself that day and didn't have anyone to help her, "Do you know 'Puff the Magic Dragon'?" she asked.

Derek nodded.

She glanced at the closest, making sure her sisters weren't listening, "I don't like the dark," she confessed, "Daddy sings me 'Puff the Magic Dragon' when I get scared."

Derek swallowed the lump in his throat. He refused to cry, "I'll sing it to you," he offered.

Nancy smiled at him.

Derek picked up the pillow that she had dropped on the floor and set it on the bed next to his, "Dad used to sing it to me too."

XXXXXXXXXX

Apparently I don't write happy things anymore.

I wonder how many other people I can kill. I have... 4 chapters left.

The VooDoo dolls got quite the work out on the last chapter. About half as many reviews as the first chapter. So if any of you like had a cold, or stubbed your toe or broke a nail... that was me. I wasn't that mean this time cause I only had so many needles. But I bought more.

In bulk.

Review SVP.


	4. Wednesday

This has been sitting on my desktop for forever waiting to be posted. I couldn't think of an authors note.

Plus I'm depressed my VooDoo seems to be to strong cause I think I killed a bunch of my reviewers (hint hint)

XXXXXXXXXX

Wednesday

XXXXXX

_DEREK_

"_Nancy_!" Derek knocked loudly on the door to her bedroom.

It was the Shepherds annual Open House/4th of July Celebration, because as his mother said, with so many kids with so many things to celebrate it was best to get it all over with at once. And she was right. In the last year, Derek had graduated from his undergraduate degree and was taking a summer semester to get ahead for his first year of med school. Dianne had gotten married and had a baby, Jenny was starting high school, Nancy was leaving on an exchange program and Kathleen was already being recruited to soccer teams and being offered scholarships.

"Hold on a minute," Nancy shouted back. A moment later she opened the door slightly flushed, "What?"

"Mom has rules about this sort of thing."

Nancy narrowed her eyes, "What do you want?"

"Have you seen Addison?" Derek had seen Nancy hounding Addison to helping keep her various boyfriends from finding out about each other.

Nancy smirked, "You mean that girl you don't like and aren't dating?"

"I'm _not_ dating her," Derek protested awkwardly, "I _just_ wanted to talk to her."

"Just talk?"

"Yes," he replied through clenched teeth.

"Who did you take to dinner last weekend?"

"Not her."

"The week before that?" Nancy pestered, rightly guessing that he was lying.

"_Not her, Nancy."_

The siblings stood in a standoff for a moment.

"Fine," Nancy relented, "She said she was leaving around midnight so that she could get back to the city at a decent time. So if you can't find her it's cause she's gone," Nancy stuck out her tongue at her brother and started to close the door, "Oh," her demeanor changed and she smiled sweetly, "Derek, can you go keep Jeremy occupied for a little while longer?"

3 hours later Derek finally trudged up the stairs and stumbled through the door to his room,

and froze.

"You had question 2 completely wrong so I left you a few notes to help you out." Addison smiled and slid from the chair at his desk, "Nice. Room."

Derek glanced around. He couldn't help but grin, "_What_ are you doing here?"

Addison shrugged and leaned against his desk and crossed her arms, "Well," she began, "We went out twice and you barely kissed me good night either time, and tonight I wasn't even sure you knew I was here. So since I am not the type of girl to go out of my way for a guy..."

"Climbing in my window was not going out of your way?" he was enjoying the bantering, and he was enjoying the fact that she had snuck into his room.

"I was in the neighborhood," she shot back, a slow smile spreading across her face.

Derek grinned. Crossing his arms he stared at his shoes for a moment.

"I don't like people that waste my time and ignore me, Shepherd."

Derek shrugged and grinned, "I wasn't ignoring you, I was just feeling you out."

Addison moved a bit closer, smiling seductively "Now there is the problem. I wanted you to feel me _up_."

X

"I really will," Addison promised, stretching across the bed.

"I like you like this," He reluctantly tore himself away from her. Not because he wanted to, but because she was asking him to. And he really liked being able to make her happy.

"But I'm _cold_ like this," she smiled.

"I'll keep you warm," he teased, advancing towards the bed.

"No!" she protested, burying her face against the mattress for a moment, "I need a _break_!"

He laughed, returning to his closet to look for something to wear, "Here," he tossed her an ancient sweatshirt that had the name of his old college and the word 'frosh' on it, "There is no possible way that you can look better in this then you do naked."

"I said just as good, not better," she corrected. She eyed the sweatpants and t-shirt that he was pulling on. "This is all I get?"

"You are lucky you got that much."

Addison pulled the sweatshirt over her head and shook her hair out. Standing on her knees in the middle of the bed, she struck a pose, "How do I look?"

"Sexy."

"I know,"

He laid back down on the bed, unable to tear his eyes away as she crossed her legs indian style and sat facing him.

She gave the tiny twin bed an affectionate pat, "This bed seen much action? Other then me of course. Poor thing will never be the same."

"You're sure of yourself," He ran his hand aimlessly up and down her thigh, "And not since high school."

"What was her name?" Addison asked, leaning forward to see if she liked his hair pushed back off his face better.

"Kim," He batted her hand away.

She wrinkled her nose, "I don't like her."

Derek laughed, "Why?"

"Because she goes by Kim when her real name is probably Kimberly." She leaned over him and fished around over the side of the bed until she found a bottle of hand lotion in her purse.

He watched her pour some on her hand and then reach for his.

"Your hands are rough," she explained, with a sassy look on her face, "I don't want rough hands _touching me_."

"So, no one calls you Addy?" He teased, making a mental not that he needed to steal some of his sister's hand lotion.

"No one that wants to stay in my good graces.," She smiled sweetly, "Or who want me to have sex with them _ever again_."

"Addison is it..."

"Mmm hmmm," she murmured leaning down to kiss him. She slowly maneuvered herself until she was laying on her stomach, and kicked her legs up in the air. Her fingers went back to experimenting with his hair, "So tell me more about 'Kim'. Did she get ugly after high school?"

X

They talked all night.

"I should go," Addison sighed, "I'm pretty sure that everyone in your family is now awake."

Derek stifled a yawn, and put his concentration into winning their game of 'thumb war'. He could honestly say that no other night he had spent with a girl had ended with games he had played with Mark to decide who got the last cookie. They had exhausted 'Paper, Scissors, Rock' a few hours ago. And she had taught him a clapping game, that involved someone named 'Stella', that he vaguely remembered Jenny and Kathleen playing in the car during a really long trip. It was his favorite night of his life so far, "Where did you park?"

She cuddled closer to his chest. They were leaning against the wall and he had pulled her legs across his lap so she was sitting sideways, and she had tucked her cold feet under his knees, since he refused to give her more clothes.

"Behind the elementary school."

"I'll walk you," he offered.

"Okay."

They continued their game for a few more minutes. Derek's arm tightening slightly around her waist as he nuzzled his cheek gently against the top of her head.

"You're not moving."

"Neither are you."

"I don't want to,"

"I don't want you to either."

"Derek! Breakfast is re..." Nancy burst through the door and stopped short, "So you found her." She grinned smugly, "You know Mom has rules about this kind of thing."

Derek simply shrugged passively and loosened his hold on Addison when she squirmed to move away.

"MOM!" Nancy yelled over her shoulder, eyeing her brother, "Your definition of 'not dating' someone is freakishly close to Mark's."

Derek simply watched her, ignoring Addison's nervous glances in his direction. He suddenly didn't care that everyone would find out about Addison. It was nice, just being the two of them for a few weeks, but now he wanted to brag about her.

Nancy rolled her eyes, "DEREK SAYS HE ISN'T HUNGRY," she glared at him, wishing he would get just a little mad at her for almost telling their mother on him, "This is only because you covered for me."

Derek shrugged again, "Tell Mom I'll be down in 5 minutes," he glanced at Addison perched on the edge of the bed. He didn't want her to leave. Ever. "Ask her to set an extra place."

XXXXXX

ADDISON

If her eyes were open she would be staring at the ceiling. But her eyes were closed and she was tracing the paths of blood vessels across her eyelids.

She heard the door open and his foot steps cross the floor. She knew it was him. She recognized the walk.

She made a conscious decision to pretend to be asleep. They were doing okay. They both apologized. But she just didn't feel like like talking to him. It was to much effort.

"Hey," he said said in a low voice. She felt him pinch her big toe between two of his fingers and give her foot a light shake

She smiled and opened her eyes. He was having one of his moments.

"I was sleeping."

Derek shook his head and crossed the room to stand in front of a small mirror and sink, "You never sleep on your back," he smiled at her threw the mirror, "You can't lie to me."

Addison watched him play with his hair, "I bought in your tux," she told him, "It's hanging in my locker."

He nodded, more interested then she thought he would be. He opened the bag and nodded at her choice of cufflinks and tie, "What are you wearing?"

Addison inhaled uncertainly, she didn't expect him to care, "I bought my black dress, and the red one," she rolled over on to her stomach in order to hide her surprise, "I think I'll wear the black."

Addison clutched at her pillow and closed her eyes. Immediately she started drifting off to sleep. Images of the dog filled her mind. Chewing her shoes. Her scolding him. Him crawling onto the bed and keeping her feet warm. She felt the mattress shift and assumed that it was Doc climbing up to cuddle with her.

But that couldn't be right. Doc was dead.

When she opened her eyes it was Derek, sitting on the edge of her bed staring at the far wall. Normally she would tell him to lie down with her and take a nap. But she didn't know who would be climbing into bed with her. Dr Jeckyll or Mr. Hyde. McDreamy or Derek. She was just waiting for the day when McDreamy took over for good.

"What?"

He glanced over his shoulder at her and smiled. Not a McDreamy smile, a Derek smile. "Nothing. Go back to sleep."

"Lay down," she invited him, "We've shared smaller beds then this."

Derek looked at her a moment and she moved further away from the edge of the cot, still laying on her stomach.

They didn't touch. Addison hogged the pillow. Derek stared at the ceiling.

She studied his profile until he turned and looked at her, "What are you looking for?" he asked, trying to keep his tone light.

"My husband."

His eyes drifted back to the ceiling, "Do you see him?"

She watched his adams apple bob up and down, "Sometimes."

He shook his head slightly and looked over at her, "I'm sorry."

She was pretty sure that he meant it. She smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her chin against his shoulder. She kissed him, "Do you still see me?"

He looked her in the eye for a moment, "More then I'd like too," he admitted, "You never change."

She felt that this response was a lot more cryptic then it sounded. But she didn't want to think about it right now. His arm covered hers over his waist and his other arm slipped under her, across her chest to wrap around her ribs.

It was easier just to go to sleep.

X

She woke up to his pager.

"Don't wake up," he murmured slipping out from under her arm and sitting on the edge of the bed to slip his shoes back on.

"To late," she hugged the pillow tightly against her face, then rolled over onto her back and sat up. Sitting cross legged she watched him lace up his sneakers. She didn't want him to leave.

"I'll find you later," he smiled at her. Not a McDreamy smile, a Derek smile, "We'll dance," he promised, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Wait!" she said quickly, halting his departure from the cot. She wanted a little more time with her husband.

He glanced at her curiously, still smiling.

So she kissed him. Not a quick kiss. The kind of kiss that would make onlookers feel awkward, yet jealous. The kind of kiss you give someone that you don't expect to see for a long time.

"Wear your hair back," she said softly, pushing his hair off his face, "I like it like that."

He nodded, and walked towards the door. He paused and looked back at her "Wear the red dress."

She agreed shyly.

"I'll see you at the prom."

XXXXXXXXXX

So I've come to a decision about the next chapter. It's not going to be from Derek or Addison's perspective. I don't think. I haven't completely decided. It's going to be a really different chapter. It's about Meredith, and I think it's going to be told by someone named Germaine. For no reason other then that's what I feel like doing.

How do we feel about that?

Prize for the best review.

And... _Go!!_


	5. Thursday

I don't know if I ever explained this, but it's okay if a chapter ends are you are like "_WHAT?_" and you feel 5 kinds of confused. Because this fic doesn't go in chronological order there is a pretty good chance that at some point whatever is confusing you will be explained.

That is the BEAUTY of this fic.

That said, if it's still confusing you, put it in a review and I will answer.

The other thing, this chapter is different in that it is narrated by a previously unknown character. There are reasons for this. I'll explain them at the end.

For now...

Read and enjoy.

XXXXXXXXXX

Thursday

XXXXXX

_Germaine_

It was not a pleasant day. It was late October and it was cold and damp.

Dismal.

That was the only way to describe it.

Dismal.

There were no longer leaves on the trees, they just sat on the ground in wet clumps, sticking to your shoes when you cut across the grass.

And of course she was wearing sandals.

Her car sputtered into park ––which is all her car did lately and it didn't occur to her to mind–– and she took stock of the situation. 2 cars parked on the street. If she had to guess she would say she was looking at 1 sister and 2 in-laws.

The one sister she could handle.

She sighed heavily and headed for the front door, cringing when the wetness of the grass hit her bare toes.

"_Someone better be dead!_" She yelled into the house.

A door slammed upstairs in response.

"_Geri!_"

"Ooouf?" she expelled as she was almost knocked backwards into the wall, "Who are you?" she asked in fake confusion.

"Colin!" he laughed.

"Colin?" she repeated, "I don't know any Colins."

"Yes you do," he giggled as she picked him up and threw him over her shoulder, "Will you paint my face?"

"Sure," she agreed entering the kitchen, "Gayle," she said to her sister-in-law, "Teach your kid some manners. He attacked me before I could even get my shoes off."

Gayle simply shrugged and continued trying to force strained peas into her unreceptive toddler.

Germaine collapsed at the kitchen table and put her feet up on the chair beside her. She picked up the stack of cards in front of her –– there had been a game of _snap_ going on at that table since she was 7 –– and nodded a challenge at Daniel, her brother-in-law. "What's so important that I had to miss a day and a half of lectures?"

Her sister, Celeste sighed and exchanged looks with Daniel and Gayle, "Let's wait until we are all here."

"Her Highness couldn't tear herself away from her _oh so important_ job."

"Geri," her sister sighed.

She glared.

"Germaine," she corrected herself, "Just don't."

The front door opened and the sound of heels echoed through the hallway.

Germaine barely glanced up as her sister entered the kitchen, "Gangs all here."

"_Geri_."

Germaine glanced up. She hadn't changed at all. "_Red_," she greeted.

"Don't call me that."

"Don't call me 'Geri'."

"Not that it matters, because _clearly_ you could care less, but _when_ was the last time that you brushed your hair?"

"_My _hair? Your hair is pulled back so tight it's practically giving you a face lift."

"What are you even doing here?"

"Celeste called me."

"And you came _alone_?"

"_Sorry._ I didn't know that dates were _required_ for _family emergencies_."

"Hey!" Celeste exclaimed. Everyone became silent. She took a deep breath, "I think that Dad is having an affair."

XXXX

"On Monday," Celeste explained slowly, "Dad called me. He needed to borrow my key to get into the house." She paused "Mom threw him out."

"What!" Germaine exclaimed, "Why?"

"Have you not been listening? Celeste _just_ said that Dad was running around."

"He's like _70_!"

"Shut up!" Celeste spat. She took a deep breath, "I've been coming by everyday and from what I can tell, they haven't spoken. At all. And..." She trailed off unsure of how to continue, "Mom won't come downstairs, and Dad wouldn't come out of the den."

The sisters all exchanged glances.

"And then today," Celeste continued regretfully, "Dad went upstairs, and when he came back down he was wearing a suit. Mom yelled at him and said that if he left, not to dare come back," she paused, "And then he left anyway."

Germaine stood up.

"Where are you going?" Celeste asked.

"I'm going to go snoop through his den."

XXXX

"Why am I not surprised that you know how to do that?"

"Do what?" Germaine pointedly ignored the annoying sound of her sister tapping her heel on the hardwood floor.

"Pick locks."

Germaine grinned, "Ya, it came in handy when I wanted to read your diary," she glanced at her sister, "I'm still waiting to use that tidbit about you and Rannnnndy.I really don't think that Celeste would like what you did with her ex-boyfriend. And I really don't think that Mom and Dad would like that you did it in their bed."

She blushed. Profusely.

"Your face is the same colour as your hair," Germaine observed.

"_Papa!_" The sisters glanced at each other as they heard Colin scurry to the front door.

"Damnit!"

"Don't get your Prada panties in a knot, _Red_."

"Prada doesn't _make_ panties."

"But if they _did_ you would have them in every colour." Germaine ripped open the drawer and skimmed her eyes over the contents, "Give me 5 minutes alone with this drawer and I'll blow this family's secrets to hell."

XXXX

It had been almost 6 months since the last time that they had sat down as a family and eaten a meal together.

And never had the table been so silent.

Germaine looked back and forth between her parents. At either end of the table, neither had bothered to ask her why she was at home and not at school.

And neither questioned why their 3 daughters were _all _visiting and _all_ insisting they eat together.

Germaine cleared her throat and pulled out the piece of paper she had pillaged from her fathers desk. "Who's Meredith Grey-Hamilton?"

Her mother, Addison, laughed, bitterly, "Meredith _Grey_, would be the love of your fathers _life."_

XXXX

"She's dead."

Germaine looked up in surprise.

"Meredith Grey," her mother continued, "She's dead."

Germaine exchanged looks with her older sister, Emille.

"Your father isn't having an affair. He's just sad."

Germaine closed her portfolio which she had been showing her mother.

Addison didn't continue, instead she started combing her fingers through Germaine's hair.

"Celeste said that you locked him out," Emille said finally.

Addison avoided her daughters eyes, "It just brings back bad memories, sweetheart. Meredith Grey was around during a time where, everything seemed to be going wrong for me."

"When?"

"Oh," Addison though back, "Before any of you were born. Long before," She smiled weakly, "I'm just a little jealous that your father is grieving over a girlfriend that left him 30 years ago."

Germaine stretched out across the bed, still letting her mother run her fingers through her hair, "So she was Dad's girlfriend before you?"she clarified.

"It's a long story."

"We have time," Emille insisted using her no-nonsense voice born of 5 years of corporate law and 2 kids.

"So this is what it takes to get you two to agree on something?" Addison attempted a joke.

"Mom..."

"Emille. It was a very long time ago. A different life."

Identical gray eye's started at her, expectantly.

Addison sighed, "I don't know if you two get your stubbornness from me or your father." She leaned back, relenting. "Meredith was an intern when your father first came to Seattle. She used to call him McDreamy," she paused, "They loved each other. Very much," she explained simply, "your father loved Meredith, and then one day, Meredith was offered a job in Denver. She left. And your dad was heartbroken."

"Why didn't he just go with her?" Celeste asked, joining Emille at the end of the bed.

Addison shook her head, "I don't know. I never asked. I assumed it was because he didn't want to start over again. Or maybe he thought that she would come back. I don't know. But she got married, to someone that was more her age and..." she chuckled, "More appropriate for her."

Germaine smiled, "And then he met you and we all lived happily ever after."

"No," Addison said softly, "No, when your dad met Meredith, we..." she paused, considering how much her daughters deserved to know, "We had already been married 11 years when he met Meredith."

XXXX

"Daddy?"

Derek looked up and smiled, "Hey Dumpling."

Germaine wrinkled her nose, "Why did you and Mom hate me so much? Germaine was bad enough, but dumpling?"

"Well by the time you came along we were to old and tired to think of anything better. And you were a very fat baby," Derek reached over and put an arm around her shoulder and kissed her forehead, "And your mother said that the name Germaine was _avant garde._"

Germaine cuddled against his side, "You know, I don't remember you guys ever fighting when I was younger. It was always Mom fighting with Celeste and you fighting with Emille."

Derek chuckled.

"You cheated on Mom," she accused softy.

"I know," he replied just as softly.

"I don't want to talk about it," Germaine told him, "I just wanted you to know I don't like it."

Derek nodded, "In hindsight, your mother and I were very selfish people. And that is something, I think, we both regret."

XXXX

"Wow."

"Yup."

"I mean. Wow."

"Ya."

"He had an affair."

"30 years ago."

"Still counts."

"So did they get divorced?"

"I guess so."

"They _must_ have."

The three sat silently for a moment, staring out the front window to where their father was still sitting on the porch.

"I used to think our family was normal."

"Nope."

"Are they even married _now_?"

"They _must_ be."

"We aren't even sure if they got divorced."

"We could ask."

"But then they might answer."

"So they divorced and remarried?"

"I guess so."

"_Why_?"

"I don't know."

"You don't think that they got together because of us?" Celeste and Emille exchanged glances.

Germaine let them contemplate this for a moment, "Sucks thinking you are a mistake doesn't it."

"You _weren't_ a mistake," Celeste sighed.

"Well I wasn't _planned_."

They fell into silence again.

Celeste sighed, "I'm leaving Daniel."

Emille and Germaine just nodded.

"Gayle's ex-husband is trying to get custody of Colin again," Emille said slowly, "And we're having another baby in December."

Celeste looked at her in surprise, "Gayle's pregnant again?"

"No. I am."

"Since when do you have babies?" Germaine rolled her head towards her sister, "Can I be the godmother this time?"

"I'll think about it."

"You didn't_ tell me _you were pregnant."

"I didn't know how to bring it up."

"I've decided to get my masters," Germaine volunteered.

"In what?"

"Photography," she teased, "And Art History."

Emille rolled her eyes, "What are you suppose to do with _that_?"

"I don't know."

They listened to the front door open and close.

"Did he come in or did she go out?"

"I think she went out."

Germaine crawled across the floor and peeked out the front window. She watched, gnawing on her lower lip. Slowly she sank back down to the floor, "She's crying."

"And?"

"And they are smiling and holding hands," Germaine smiled, "It would be cute if they weren't so old."

XXXXXXXXXX

So.

Germaine.

So the reason I did that was because I felt that Addison and Derek would gloss over everything and make it seem like their family is a lot more perfect then it is. I mean, Addison even made Meredith sound good to her girls and didn't even bitch about Derek. Imagine how she would sugarcoat her daughters lives. I mean Celeste is leaving her husband, Emille has ongoing custody problems, Germaine seems to be somewhat of a black-sheep/hippie.

Germaine on the other hand does not have a problem airing dirty laundry.

And don't bitch to me about their names. Once they get in my head, they grow a personality and I can't change them even when I try.

Imagine if I tried to change Poppy Cunningham.

It just wouldn't work.

So review.

It's the only way I will know how much you hate me.


	6. Friday

I know, I know. But none of you were volunteering to write all my massive term papers or write my final exams (which RAPED ME, in case you were wondering) so I had to do it ALL MYSELF.

I didn't even have time to procrastinate.

Besides, I think that only about 10 of you can actually follow this story. I realize that it is rather Lost-esque with random jumps in time with no really rhyme or reason, but that is how I roll these days.

XXXXXXXXXX

_**Addison**_

XXXX

She could do this.

She could.

She could do this.

She wanted it. She needed it. It's not that she didn't think she could do it, because she was certain she had at least made the right decision about this. It was all the decisions that led up to this that she was seriously doubting and regretting.

This was her wake up call.

"Montgomery. Addis…" There was a long pause.

Addison stood up and took a step towards the woman holding the clipboard.

The woman looked at her curiously. She recognized her. "Okay," she said finally, "Follow me."

Addison followed her down the long hallway. She wasn't sure what possessed her to give her maiden name; it just didn't seem right to use her married one. But she knew all these people, so the lie about her name was making her feel even guiltier.

"You need too…" the woman started.

"I know," Addison interrupted, "I know what I need to do."

XXXX

"What about the father?"

"The father," Addison considered this for a moment, "He's not a father. He's an unwitting sperm donor living in a fantasy world. He thinks that biology is destiny."

"You're financially independent, you have a secure job; did you ever think of keeping the baby?"

"I've had the counseling," Addison smirked sadly, "I've _given_ the counseling. I can't have this baby. I know I'm being selfish, and I know that I could do it; I could have it and love it and raise it and be happy with it. But I don't want to. Because I would either be alone or be living out destiny induced by biology."

"Addison…"

"My husband," she paused, " He could raise another man's child like it was his own. Love it unconditionally. He could do it, I think. But I could never do that to him. And I know that he will never forgive me, and that it doesn't matter if he would raise a baby that wasn't his or not, because it will never matter. He walked out on me, rightly so. But I could never face him or myself if I had his best friends baby."

"Have you talked…"

"When can I travel?" She interrupted.

"Travel?"

"I'm flying to Seattle late tomorrow evening. Is that going to be a problem?"

The doctor sighed, "It shouldn't be if you are careful. But I would advise against it."

Addison nodded.

"Are you _sure_ you want to proceed?"

"Positive," Addison said quietly. She lay back and positioned herself before the doctor could give her any instructions.

She slipped her headphones in and pressed play, gripping her ipod tightly in her fist. She traced the movements of the doctor and her assistant out of the corner of her eye, playing over in her mind the steps that they were going through and processes that they were carrying out and why. Finally she covered her eyes with her forearm. She'd rather not know from minute to minute what they were doing.

When she heard the low hum of the suction she squeezed her eyes shut and turned up the volume.

It took 2 songs.

"We're finished," the doctor gently touched Addison's arm.

Addison slowly took her arm away from her eyes, "It takes longer when it's you," she reflected. She was silent for a long moment, "Thank you."

XXXX

"Hey, I'm pulling in your driveway, come let me in."

Addison stomach clenched.

"Oh. Found my key. Never mind"

Addison stared at the phone as the line went dead.

Moments later she heard him bounding up the stairs and calling her name.

She closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable.

"Why are you in bed?"

She didn't reply and pressed the heating pad harder against her stomach.

"Morning sickness finally hit you?" He teased, picking up a bottle of pills he assumed to be pre-natal vitamins, "Painkillers…?"

"I couldn't do it," she choked out.

"Do what?" Mark edged.

"I couldn't have it," she whispered, biting down hard on her lip.

"Addison!" Mark grabbed her upper arms, "What did you _do_?" He gave her a hard shake, "What did you DO?"

"_I couldn't do it,_" she sobbed.

"WHAT DID YOU DO?" he demanded, his fingers digging into her arms.

"_I tried_," she cried, "_I tried to want it_."

"_WHAT DID YOU DO ADDISON_?" he shook her again.

"_I had to_," she continued to sob, "I couldn't do it. I could feel it, inside of me and I hated it. I _HATED_ IT!" She screamed, "_I HATED IT! It was growing inside of me and it made me SICK_."

"THAT WAS MY BABY TOO!"

"THAT'S WHY _I GOT RID OF IT_!"

He gripped her arms tightly for a moment, then pushed her away and grabbed a lamp off the table beside her and hurled it against the wall.

Addison watched in dumb silence as Mark started punching the wall. She was to shocked and frightened to cry. Blood began to smear on the wall as his knuckles split open from the impact of the blows.

The tempo of the punches slowly started to decrease, until finally he leaned his forehead against the wall and simply hit the wall in sadness.

"I'm leaving," she explained quietly, "I have to go to Seattle for a case. I'm leaving tomorrow."

Mark didn't move, simply continued to hit the wall.

"I'm not coming back to New York," Addison continued, trying to absolve herself, "I can't be here anymore. I can't be with you… I'm not sure where I am going to go. I just can't be here anymore. Not by myself…"

"Why?" Mark asked evenly, "Why did you do it?"

He hadn't heard anything else she had said.

She swallowed hard, "Because I love him."

XXXXXXXXXX

_**Derek**_

XXXX

Derek smiled as he heard the front door open and the murmur of voices in the entryway.

He was hoping to have supper ready when they got home, but he still had the salad left to toss.

He turned as Addison marched by him, carrying a crying, protesting 6-year-old. Addison glared at him without actually looking at him, and disappeared into the laundry room and started stripping off the little girls clothes, which were covered in sticky red juice.

"Celeste!" He heard her warn as the little girl started to struggle and scream.

Derek winced and returned to his salad as the sounds of a struggle intensified from the laundry room.

"_Celeste_!" Addison exclaimed in exasperation.

Derek smiled as the little girl came bolting through the kitchen wearing only her undershirt and panties, "Slow down princess," he cautioned.

"Celeste!" Addison exclaimed, emerging from the laundry room. The little girl was nowhere to be found.

Addison stormed off in a huff, intent on finding her.

Derek smirked as Celeste emerged from around a corner and immediately sandwiched herself between his legs and the cupboard door, "You better not let your mother catch you," he said to her in an exaggerated stage whisper, handing her a chunk of carrot.

She shook her head vigorously and sank to the floor at his feet.

"Upstairs. Now." Addison instructed, reentering the kitchen with her arms full of bags.

Celeste didn't budge,

"Celeste. _Now_." Addison exclaimed, dropping the bags loudly on the counter, "Pajama's on, and wash your hands for supper. With _soap_," she called after her as she scampered from the room, "Emille too. And I will _know_ if you just run your hands _under the water_."

Derek smiled at her as she turned to face him. She looked exhausted.

"Long day?" he asked as he watched her unload her purchases onto the counter, "Didn't we just buy a new blender?"

She glared at him.

"Retail therapy?" he joked.

"Don't _talk_ to me," she seethed.

Derek gaped at her curiously.

He watched her unpack rolling pins and muffin trays, towels and DVD's. Along with some candles, perfume, shoes and what looked like a new set of curtains that didn't match a single room in the house; and he couldn't think of a single reason why she would be mad at him.

"What did I…"

"_Girls! Supper is ready…_"

XXXX

"Can we watch Ariel again?"

"No! Belle!"

"Nooooooo," Emille narrowed her eyes at her sister.

Celeste narrowed hers right back.

"Moooooooooooooommmmy," they said in unison, turning to Addison.

"No movies tonight," she replied sullenly, her jaw set.

They gasped, "_Daddy?!_" both heads snapped over to Derek.

"Well it _is_ Friday," he teased, they always watched movies together on Friday nights. He glanced curiously at Addison.

She gapped at him in angry disbelieve. He realized then that he shouldn't have gone against her.

"Fine," Addison huffed loudly, "_Fine_. We can watch a movie."

Derek sat, his fork poised over his salad, and watched Addison stab viciously at her supper, "Add?" he questioned, not expecting a response.

She glanced up at him briefly, and then dropped her eyes back down to her plate, "Celeste stop kicking your chair please," she said coolly.

Derek cleared his throat, "Did you have fun at school?" he asked, glancing at one twin then the other.

The girls looked at each other then at Addison. Addison didn't acknowledge them.

"What?" Derek asked, smile still in place but starting to wane.

"Mommy picked us up at lunch."

"She did?"

"Celeste stop _kicking_ your _chair_," Addison said again.

Derek shot her a quick look then turned his attention back to Emille and Celeste, "Why?"

Emille shrugged. Celeste continued to kick her chair.

Derek tried another approach, "What did you and Mommy do all afternoon?"

Emille pushed a meatball off her plate and on the tabletop, her nose wrinkling in distaste, "Shopped."

Celeste giggled at her sister and kicked her chair harder.

"Did you have fun?" Derek reached over and attempted to wipe up the spaghetti sauce off the tablecloth.

"We had ice cream for lunch," Celeste started bouncing in her chair and banging her feet excitedly against the rungs of her chair, "And rode the spinning ponies, and…"

"Celeste! Just stop okay? Just _stop!"_ Addison leaned her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands.

Celeste froze. She refused to look at Addison, just stared down at her hands. The room was motionless until giant tears began escaping the corner of Celeste's eyes and fell one by one off the end of her nose.

Emille began sucking her thumb earnestly and had already started inching her way off her chair and towards Derek's.

"Addison," Derek said quietly, scooping Emille up into his arms and settling her on his lap.

Addison glanced up, her eyes landing first on Emille who was staring at her wide eyed, and then on Celeste who sat crying at the dinner table.

He watched as Addison buried her face in her hands again. This time she was crying too.

XXXX

He wasn't watching the movie. He was watching Addison.

She was watching the movie, or at the very least staring at the screen and ignoring him.

"Bedtime," Addison spoke the moment the credits started to roll. She didn't bother to wake up Celeste who had fallen asleep clinging to her chest.

"I'm not sleeeeeeeeeepy," Emille whined rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling above her parents' bed, "Can we sleep with you?"

"No," Derek spoke quickly. He wasn't taking any chances; with Addison's current mood she probably would let them just so she wouldn't have to talk to him.

"Come on," she instructed Emille, not once glancing at Derek to indicate that she needed his help or assistance.

He sighed and stared at the wall blankly. They had been getting along fine that morning. In fact, she had woken him up a full hour and a half before they had to get the girls up just so they could 'get along' a few times before breakfast.

Something must have happened between then and lunch.

That or she was crazy.

Which in Derek's opinion was quite possible.

"You _lied_ to me!" Addison exclaimed the moment their bedroom door was closed behind her.

"I did not," Derek replied automatically. He knew that he hadn't lied to her; he was 100 percent certain. Relieved that whatever was driving her crazy was not his fault, Derek shifted his weight and maneuvered between the blankets on the bed. In his experience when Addison got in moods like this it did not matter at all if he was actually conscious.

"You _told_ me that you had that vasectomy after the twins were born," she ranted, "You _promised_ me that you had it done. You _swore_."

"Addison," Derek sighed, she always got upset about the silliest things," You knew I didn't. I know you knew I didn't because you went back on the pills."

"I _didn't _know you _didn't. _I didn't want to take any chances on one of those little buggers getting through."

"Okay," Derek relented, "I lied to you. I'm sorry."

"47, Derek. I am 47," she paused, "Or 48. I already have 6 year old twins that I can _barely _handle, …"

"What does that have to…" Derek stared at her, "Wait… Are you…"

"I can't do all this again Derek. I'm too old. I was _done_…"

"You're having a baby?" a slow grin spreading across his face.

"Yes," she exclaimed sharply, "Because I forgot to get that damn prescription filled."

"_We're_ having a baby?"

"See, I _knew_ you would be happy about this. I _hate_ you."

"You," Derek continued to smile at her, "Are the most _ridiculous_ woman…"

"Mommy?"

Addison glared at Derek one last time before turning towards the door, "What are you doing out of bed?" she demanded.

"Emille won't stop talking," Celeste whined between yawns.

"It's only been a few minutes," Addison reasoned, "Give her a chance to get sleepy."

"But I want her to be sleepy nooooow."

Addison scooped her up and kissed her on the cheek then the forehead; "Sleep here with Daddy," she said gently, setting her on the bed next to Derek, "I'll go sleep with Emille."

"Addison," he couldn't quite wipe the smile from his face.

"I'll be happy tomorrow. Tonight I'm still pissed off," she snapped, grabbing her pajamas and leaving the room.

Derek smiled softly at the closing door. Addison had never been a fan of surprises. He for one was certainly surprised to be having a baby at 50. But at times he was also surprised to be sharing a bed with Addison again. Seems one surprise led directly to the other.

Derek glanced over at Celeste. She watched him intently, her eyes big and bright despite being sleepy.

"Have happy dreams Princess," he whispered, kissing her temple before turning out the light.

"Have happy dreams Daddy," she whispered back.

3 hours later Derek dragged his eyes open. He watched Addison kneel on the edge of the bed and settle Emille in next to Celeste, then crawl into bed herself. Derek propped himself up on his elbow, careful not to wake the girls fast asleep between them. "_We_ are having a baby," he grinned sleepily.

"I know," She sighed, relaxed, and smiled, "You better pray there is only one this time."

XXXXXXXXXX

_What I learned from watching Grey's Anatomy_: True love is hard to find. But you can narrow it down by understanding that if you dread them completing the challenge that you laid out in order to 'prove himself' he is probably not your V.I.Penis. Also, if he is boning his bff on the side and lying about it and giggling and shoveling cake in bff's face, probably not your V.I.Penis. AND if you tried to kill yourself, but didn't die cause a show is named after you but instead are brought back to life by your V.I.Penis, but _then_ he complains that he had to save you and you are kind of a pain in the ass and you are preventing him from moving ahead in his job, well he might _not actually_ be your V.I.Penis. On the other hand if you find someone that is genuinely willing to accept the fact that you are seriously messed in the head and they are willing to either overlook it or embrace it, you may have found your V.I.Penis, or at least you are getting warmer.


	7. Saturday

This is it. The moment that we have all been waiting for: the end. I know that I have been waiting for this for a while. Like, a really long time.

Seriously.

XXXXXXXXXX

**Saturday**

XXXXXXXXXX

Addison 

XXXX

Addison leaned heavily against the table. Her patient was actually killing her.

_Her patient_.

She had never been given this much responsibility; complete charge over a patient. All treatment decisions, everything, was up to her.

Which is why she had been awake for 52 hours.

She yawned, belatedly covering her mouth with her hand. She sighed heavily and forced her eyes open, reaching for the coffee. She sipped cautiously then gulped, hoping that the scalding liquid would wake her up.

Wearily she made her way back to her patient's room.

A nurse was standing by the bed, gently taking the patients pulse, and then turning to switch off the monitors.

"What are you…" Addison bolted to the bedside and frantically searching for a pulse.

"She coded," the nurse said gently.

"Then call the code team!" Addison exclaimed, already moving to move the bed into it's vertical position.

"She signed a DNR."

Addison glanced up, "She _what_?"

The nurse walked to the end of the bed and flipped open the chart to the first page. Clipped to the front page, signed by the patient, dated 5 days ago, witnessed and approved by Richard Webber, was the Do Not Resuscitate order.

Addison swallowed hard. Methodically she noted the time of death and closed the chart placing it on the foot of the bed.

Chief Webber was standing at the nurses' station when she emerged from the room. He took in her appearance and started towards her.

Addison took one look at him and turned in the opposite direction

"Addison."

She paused and turned towards him; her eyes downcast and her arms crossed tightly around her ribs. She refused to look up at him.

"You did everything right."

"You knew she was going to die when you assigned me to her," Addison accused.

Richard didn't reply immediately, "You're a talented Doctor Addison. But you…"

Addison looked away.

"Go home Addison," he said gently. "Get some sleep."

XXXX

Addison lowered herself to the ground and curled her legs under herself. She rested her forearm on the cot and walked the fingers of her other hand up and down Derek's wrist.

"Is shift starting?" he asked groggily.

"No," she assured him, "Not for another few hours."

He smiled, eyes still closed and still half asleep, "So you're just done? I get you back?"

"Yeah," she smiled, "You get me back."

"Good," he yawned, "Webber was," he yawned again, "hogging you."

Addison smiled and moved onto the cot beside him. It was hardly worth driving all the way home to sleep when she would just have to be back before dawn. Besides, all she wanted in the world was passed out in the cramped, humid, over crowded on-call room. Derek barely moved to let her lay down. He was asleep again,

"Derek?"

"Hrmm?"

"Wake up."

"Mmm."

"I want to talk to you."

Derek opened his eye, "You look exhausted," he told her, brushing a hand over her cheek. He moved over more to give her room, and promptly drifted back to sleep.

"Derek?" she whispered again.

"Mmm?"

"I love you."

He was still a moment, than smiled slowly, "Thanks."

She smiled back, "You're welcome." She sighed lightly and closed her eyes.

"If you didn't say it by the end of the week I was taking my 'I love you' back," he teased her, burrowing deeper in to his pillow.

She smiled contentedly and did the same, "You wouldn't take back loving me."

"No," he agreed, "Never."

XXXXXXXXXX

Derek

XXXX

"He was a good man," Derek stared out the hotel room window at the rain. It seemed always raining in Seattle, but only rarely did the weather match his mood. Today it did. It was raining, but it was bright and if you looked closely you could see sun peeking behind the clouds. He couldn't tear himself away from that window.

"It worked."

He turned and smiled at her. He had been wondering when she would bring that up, "I know."

She smiled sheepishly and started playing with the tie on her robe, "You knew huh?"

"When you asked me out to dinner, the first time," Derek reminded her, "I knew the second that you walked into the restaurant."

Addison nodded, remembering, "I was going to tell you, but I completely chickened out. Decided to go for plan B instead."

"Seducing me?" He teased.

She shrugged, blushing slightly, "I was hoping you though I was just trying the old fashioned way."

"I wasn't complaining," He grinned at her, "I like the old fashioned way."

"Anyway," she smiled, "Thanks…"

"5th tines the charm right," He crossed the room and kissed her softly on the forehead, "Besides you did all the hard work. My part was easy."

She rolled her eyes and nodded in agreement, "I'm having twins."

XXXX

It was still raining. It had stopped for a moment as they had driven to the church, but now standing in the cemetery it started again. He felt Addison move slightly closer to him under the cover of the umbrella. He switched the umbrella to his other hand and dropped his free hand to his side, bumping against hers gently to let her know that it was there if she needed it.

He immediately felt her palm press against his, her fingers smoothly finding their way between his own and her other hand wrapping around the two that were joined. He sensed her leaning towards him, and he turned his head to look at her.

"If one is a boy," she murmured, "We should name him Richard."

Derek smiled and turned his attention back to the burial. His heart beat a bit faster as he replayed what she had just said. _We_.

They were a 'we' again.

He turned and took in her profile. It was softer now. She was softer. It's how he had known that the fertility treatments had worked, that his days of making monthly trips to her specialist to 'do his part' were over.

She was content.

She glanced at him quickly and gave his hand a firm squeeze.

"Richard would have liked to have seen us together like this," he whispered softly.

He watched she close her eyes for a moment, then return her attention back to the service. She didn't respond.

He didn't release her hand until they reached his car at the conclusion to the service. He opened his door and paused, "Addison?"

She looked up, her own door half open.

"What would you think of going down to City Hall, finding a Justice of the Peace, and getting married?"

She stared at him over the roof of the car, "Derek don't be ridiculous," she opened the door the rest of the way and started to slide in, "The Justice of the Peace doesn't work on Saturday."


End file.
